Manufacture of hammock-spreaders



(No Model.)

, E. T. FELLOWES. MANUFACTURE OF HAMMOGK SPREADBRS.

No. 498,542. Pate nted May 30, 1893.

INVENTOR: Etnesf TYeRowes I N I BY ATTY w: no as UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST T. FELLO\VES, OF ENGLEWO OD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE- AMERICAN. CORDAGE COMPANY,OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,.A ND XENIA,

OHIO.

MANUFACTURE OF HAMMO CK-SPREADERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,542, dated May 30, 1893.

Application filed January 6, 1893. Serial No. 457,572. (No model.)

To all whon't it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST T. FELLOWES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Englewood, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hammock- Spreaders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to improvements in devices commonly known as hammock spreadersv Heretofore hammock spreaders have been made of wooden bars or bows provided at suitable intervals with metallic hooks secured thereto and adapted to engage with and retain the longitudinal cords of the hammock.

According to my invention, I construct the spreader of sheet metal or other material suitable for the purpose, forming the same with a tubular body and with hooks or retaining devices integral therewith, whereby I am able to produce the spreaders cheaply and expeditiously while the finished article is of less weight than the spreader heretofore in use and presents an ornamental appearance.

The nature of my said invention can best be understood from the following description, in connection with the annexed drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a face view of a blank from which the spreader is made. Fig. 2 isa side elevation showing the spreader in a state of partial completion. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the finished article. Fig. 4 is a section on the line a: at, Fig. 2, said figure being drawn to a larger scale than the preceding figures. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 'y y, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the spreader. Fig. 7 is a transverse section on the line 2 ,2, Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a side elevation illustratinga modified construction for the retaining devices. Fig. 9 is a section on the line 00 ac, Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a side elevation illustrating a second modified construction for the retaining devices. Fig. 11 is a section on the line y y, Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a face view of a modified form for the blank, said figure being drawn to the same scale as Fig. 1.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In constructing a hammock spreader embodying my invention I form a blank B (Fig. 1) of sheet metal or other material suitable for the purpose. Thebody of said blank is substantially rectangular and is of the requisite width to permit it to be rolled up or otherwise formed into a tube of the diameter required for the body Aof the spreader (Figs. 3 and 5). On the opposite longitudinaledges of the body of the blank are formed, preferably at the same time with the stamping up of the blank, hook sections a, which sections are arranged directly opposite to each other and symmetrical with respect to the center 63 line of the blank. The blank after being stamped out, as described, is then placed into a die or passed through a train of rolls and bent up to present the U shaped cross-section shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and simultane- 7o ously therewith it is bowed or arched longitudinally, as shown in Fig. 2. The dies or rolls for this purpose may be of any well known construction suitable for the purpose. After this stage of the process the U shaped blank is placed between closing dies or rolls where the open sides of the blank are closed over to complete the tubular body. During this closing operation the opposite rows of hook sections a are brought into close contact with each other, each pair forming a'hook of double the thickness of the plate employed. The spring of the plate is sufficient to hold the hook sections in close contact with each other and the use of solder or rivets may be dispensed with. Of course as an extra precaution, or when itis desired to close the joint, the longitudinal edges of the spreader may be soldered together.

The spreader in its present state is adapted for all practical purposes, but I generally prefer to close up the ends of the tubular body. The simplest manner of accomplishing this end is to provide the opposite ends of the blank with properly proportioned tongues b, 5 which, after the blank is rolled up, are bent over as shown in Fig. 6.

When metal plate of from 27 to 21 specific gravity is used in the manufacture of the spreader, the hooks may be left substantiallyflat without danger of injuring the hammock cords or yielding under the stress. However, when thinner plate is used, I prefer to reinforce the hook by raising the material of the hook sections outwardly as shown in Figs. 7 to 9; said sections forming, when brought together, hollow rounded hooks.

Another method forobtaininga broader contact surface for the hook is shown in Figs. 10 and 11, where a split eyelet c is inserted into the hook and expanded or hammered over. This eyelet it will be noticed also binds the hook sections together.

, In practice I prefer to make the spreaders of sheet metal, such as plate iron, steel, brass, aluminum or the like, but I do not wish to restrict myself to such material, since the spreaders can be made in alike manner from celluloid, rubber, or other suitable non-metallic material.

It is evident that the order of the several steps of the process may be changed from that above described. For instance, instead of stamping out the hook sections in the first operation, the blank may be formed somewhat wider than necessary for the tubular body, so as to leave projecting flanges from which the hooks can be stamped, after, the blank has been brought to the tubular form; or as shown in Fig. 12, the blank may be formed with lateral lips a for the same purpose. 'Again, instead of bending the blank into a U shape as described, and arching it simultaneously with said operation, the two operations may be performed separately. Furthermore it is evident that the operation of bending the blank into a U shape may be dispensed with and the blank drawn directly into the tubular form by the use of the usual drawing dies.

While in general the operations can be conducted with cold metal, a certain degree of heat is essential in the manufacture of spreaders from celluloid and similar material.

It is evident that in place of hook shaped retaining devices, any other suitable devices may be substituted, which will serve to keep the cords of the hammock apart. If desired by Letters Patent, is-

1. A hammock spreader consisting of a tubular body provided with projecting integral retaining devices, each formed of two adjacent sections projecting from the tubular body, substantially as described.

2. A hammock spreader consisting of an arched split tubular body of sheet material provided with integral hooks distributed throughout the length of the same, each formed of two adjacent sections projecting from the meeting edges of the tubular body, substantially as described.

3. A hammock spreader, consisting of a split tubular body provided with hollow retaining devices, each formed of two adjacent raised sections projecting from the longitudinal edges of the tubular body and integral therewith, substantially as described.

ERNEST T. FELLO WES.

I WVitnesses:

KLAs H. TERNSTEDT, J. J. 1VIALLF 

